Photo by Tom Watts
The 25th annual South Oakland Ducks Unlimited Chapter fundraiser will be held at Club Venetian in Madison Heights located at 29310 John R Road on Thursday, Sept. 19. Area chairperson Chuck Yago, in photo, said the group is made up of about 300 members who “make a difference” when it comes to preservation of waterfowl habitat.

The waterfowl hunting season starts today with the statewide early Canada goose hunt, but it’s also a time for fundraisers held by conservation groups who want to preserve habitat for ducks.

On Thursday, Sept. 19, the 25th annual South Oakland Ducks Unlimited Chapter fundraiser will take place at Club Venetian in Madison Heights located at 29310 John R Road.

South Oakland Area Chairman Chuck Yago said the group is made up of about 300 members who “make a difference” when it comes to preservation of waterfowl habitat.

“Tom Needles and a couple of his friends originally started the chapter and I’ve been heading it up for eight years now,” said Yago, a Clawson resident who noted despite Needles’ passing the group has forged ahead.

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“I do it because I am an avid sportsman and get a kick of guys who like to hunt and preserve habitat - the same things I like to do,” Yago said Wednesday. “People who like hunting, fishing, waterfowl preservation – they are people who have the same passion I do.”

Yago said its organizations like Ducks Unlimited that keeps him interested year after year.

“DU is the reason why I like it,” he said. “I gravitated to it because of my like or similar interests. It’s a good group, a great thing to be part of. DU preserves wetlands so others can enjoy waterfowl hunting for the future. When DU buys land – developers can’t – and it helps preserve the legacy.”

Yago has mentors and folks like Joel McCormick of the Orion-Oxford DU Chapter and Chuck Myers of North Oakland DU Chapter are just two of the best he could ask for. Also, Bret Plasters, who is affiliated with Ducks Unlimited in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota; DU regional director Craig Curtis; and Billy Ray Fann, DU’s new regional director in southeast Michigan, are others who make a difference.

“They are the ones who are willing to put time in the time to understand how DU works as a whole,” Yago said. “They’ve encouraged me to try different things. They show you how things can be possible so DU can make more money for wetlands preservation.”

Yago said the South Oakland Chapter is involved in about four regional wetlands preservation projects and the Sept. 19 event in Madison Heights is how folks can raise funds for those efforts.

“We will have ample guns available at the fundraiser,” Yago said, noting two 5.56 Nato AR-15-style rifles will be auctioned off with only 200 tickets available at $20 each. “They’ll be a steady diet of handguns available, too.”

A silent auction, live auction and full raffle will be held at the Sept. 19 event, along with quickie raffles and enticing dice and dart board games for a chance to win prizes.

“It’s just a pleasure to be representing a good system in Ducks Unlimited,” Yago concluded.

Tickets are $50 each or $90 for couples and $350 for a corporate table of 10. The price of a ticket includes an Italian buffet, open bar and one-year DU membership, which has a $35 value. For more information, call (877) DU-TICKETS (877-388-4253).

Worth noting, Michigan hunters will have a 60-day duck seasons this fall after the Natural Resources Commission set waterfowl seasons last week.

Duck seasons will once again be split into two segments in all three of state duck-hunting zones. In the North Zone, duck season is set for Sept. 21 - Nov. 10 and Nov. 23 - Dec. 1; In the Middle Zone, duck season is Oct. 5 - Dec. 1 and Dec. 14-15; and in the South Zone, duck season is slated for Oct. 12 - Dec. 8 and Dec. 28-29.

The daily bag limit is six ducks, to include no more than four mallards (no more than one hen), three wood ducks, three scaup (bluebills), two redheads, two canvasback, two pintails and one black duck.

Waterfowl hunting starts with the early Canada goose season beginning today (Sept. 1) statewide. The season is Sept.1-10 in the North Zone and Sept 1-15 in the rest of the state except in Saginaw, Tuscola and Huron counties, where the season is Sept.1-10. The daily bag limit is five.

The regular Canada goose season is Sept. 11 - Dec. 11 in the North Zone; Sept. 21-29 and Oct. 5 - Dec. 26 in the Middle Zone; and Sept. 21-23, Oct. 12 - Dec. 8 and Dec. 28-29 in the South Zone, except in designated goose management units. The daily bag limit is two.

Hunter education course set for DSC

Registration for a Hunter’s Education Course will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 9 at Detroit Sportsmen’s Congress located at 49800 Dequindre Road in Utica.

Richard Haase of Detroit Sportsmen’s Congress said applicants must bring a birth certificate or a valid driver’s license at the time of registration.

The class is limited to the first 120 students who register. Classes start on Friday, Sept. 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and will continue on Saturday Sept.14, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and conclude on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 8 a.m. to about 3 p.m.

Haase said “mandatory attendance is required all three days to receive the Hunter Education Certificate. “

For more information, call the Detroit Sportsmen’s Congress at (586) 739-3500 or visit www.d-s-c.org.

Kayak giveaway in St. Clair Shores

In an effort to increase environmental awareness and volunteerism among young adults, the St. Clair Shores Waterfront Environmental Committee is giving away a 12-foot kayak, paddle and PFD to a deserving student from each of the three St. Clair Shores High Schools: Lake Shore, Lakeview and South Lake.

The kayak will be given away to a student who volunteers the most time on selected projects, which include the annual Nautical Coast Cleanup, I-94 entrance/exit ramp cleanup, storm drain stenciling, and other committee projects that improve the health of Lake St. Clair.

The kayaks will be displayed at each high school for the entire school year along with a student application form. The winner for each high school will be selected by the Waterfront Environmental Committee after the closing date of May 23, 2014.

According to Chairperson Joe St. John, the St. Clair Shores Waterfront Environmental Committee is committed to the conservation, protection, safe use and enjoyment of Lake St. Clair for current and future generations.

For more information, call the St. Clair Shores Waterfront Environmental Committee at (586) 774-4750.